The MLB Draft League announced its schedule for the 2026 season. The sixth year of operation will feature an 80-game regular season split into two halves, with Opening Day on Tuesday, June 2, and the Championship Game on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
After its success in 2025, the MLB Draft League will also feature a series with Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team and introduce one with Team Mexico, for nine games each.
The first half of the 2026 season will run from June 2 to Sunday, July 5, featuring 30 games to showcase amateur prospects ahead of the MLB Draft. The second half will start Wednesday, July 8 and conclude Tuesday, Sept. 1, for 50 games with professional players making up the rosters for the six Draft League teams. The season will conclude with a winner-take-all championship game on Sept. 2, hosted by the first-half champions, taking on the second-half champion for the title.
After the series in 2025 with Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team, 2026 will feature the Draft League International Series, including National Team representation from both Canada and Mexico on the following dates:
June 12 - 14: Canada @ Aberdeen, Mexico @ Williamsport
June 16 - 18: Canada @ State College, Mexico @ Trenton
June 19-21: Canada @ Mahoning Valley, Mexico @ West Virginia
Click here for the full 2026 schedule.
The 2025 MLB Draft League champion West Virginia Black Bears will begin their title defense at home in Kendrick Family Ballpark against the Williamsport Crosscutters. The 2025 runner-up and first-half champions State College Spikes begin the year on the road against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
The 2026 season will also feature a new look as the Aberdeen IronBirds join the MLB Draft League after serving as the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The latest edition to the Draft League will open their new era on the road at Trenton with their home opener on Friday, June 5, against the Scrappers.
Click here for the full announcement regarding the addition of the IronBirds.
Since its inception in 2021, the MLB Draft League has seen more than 400 of its players sign with MLB organizations. This includes 217 selected in the annual MLB Draft and over 180 more signing as undrafted and Minor League free agents - most recently three players from the 2025 professional half whose contracts were purchased by Major League clubs. At the end of the 2025 season, six Draft League alumni made their Major League debuts for a total of 10 in league history; more than 100 alumni have also appeared in Double-A or higher.
After a record-breaking 2024 in the MLB Draft, 2025 saw the second-most draft picks with Draft League experience with 48. However, it tied with the previous year for the most selections that played in the same year as the draft with 36.
For more information about the MLB Draft League, visit mlbdraftleague.com or follow @mlbdraftleague and @draftleaguedata on X, and @mlbdraftleague on Instagram.
